#AcademyAwards

The LGBTQ community and our voracious supporters are more than likely going to have one heck of a night at the Oscars next year given the good news that has happened so far for us.

The shortlist for Best Original Song at the 2019 Oscars ceremony was released earlier this week, where Lady Gaga, Troye Sivan, Dolly Parton and yes, Sarah Silverman, are included on the list.

There are 15 songs in the shortlist, which will be whittled down to a much smaller number when the actual nominations are announced on January 22nd.

Gaga is in the running for the song “Shallow” alongside Bradley Cooper from A Star is Born. They also scored a nomination in this category at the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards, taking place on January 6th.

“Shallow” became a huge hit for them outside of the movie theaters, where it placed in the top 5 on Billboard’s Hot 100 earlier this year. Expect this to be a major front runner during both big ceremonies.

Sivan is also on the shortlist for the song “Revelation” from the film Boy Erased. He co-wrote it with musician, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Jonsi. Just like Gaga and Cooper, they also scored a Golden Globe nod in this category.

Dolly Parton’s song “Girl in the Movies” from the Jennifer Aniston-starring flick Dumplin made it onto the shortlist as well. All three of these songs are up at the Golden Globes, along with Kendrick Lamar & SZA’s “All the Stars” (Black Panther) and Annie Lenox’s “Requiem for a Private War” (A Private War).

Oddly enough Lenox is not on the shortlist for her song at The Oscars. Sarah Silverman is, however, as she and Gal Gadot’s “A Place Called Slaughter Race” from Ralph Breaks the Internet is a contender.

It’s been apparent lately comedians can’t do their job anymore without being scrutinized by someone. The self-proclaimed “Queen of Mean” Lisa Lampanelli quit comedy not too long ago because she is too terrified of offending someonein this new politically correct society we live in. It’s almost regular now that every time someone says anything on social media which someone disagrees with, a plethora of background characters will try to bury said individual. . I’ve witnessed social media ruin people’s lives for racist and sexist tweets. We all know the disaster Roseanne Barr got herself involved with due to a tweet about Valerie Jarret and James Gunn was fired from the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise for his allegedly offensive tweets about children and convicted pedophile-Hollywood Director, Victor Salva. It’s not only sad, but a little terrifying. Big brother is always watching…when you’re in public or spewing off thoughts of anger at your own home.

It’s no surprise that Hollywood couldn’t find someone to host the 2019 Academy Awards (AKA TheOscars), because - is there anyone left after the #MeToo movement- and does someone truly want to take the plunge of slipping up and saying something the masses don’t agree with and get barred from reality? Well, step on up! It’s time to play the Throw You Under The Bus Game! Comedian Kevin Harthas taken the job to host The 2019 Oscars, but that doesn’t mean his old tweets and criminal past haven’t resurfaced to remind The Academy who they’ve selected.

According to IndieWire, social media is flaming Hart for his previous homophobic tweets and scandalous past. Hart released a memoir in 2017, I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons, which he spoke on his infidelity and domestic violence. His career never suffered any consequences from these instances, but he is sparking some controversy over his severely uncomfortable, homophobic tweets from nine years ago. Check them out below:

Okay, I actually do enjoy a lot of Hart’s work and haven’t found a problem with him in the past…or really right now. Yet, reading these tweets makes me a little sore due to the amount of blatant homophobia he clearly thinks is comedic to display. Time grows many people in all aspects, but social media tends to not care about who you are now, but who you’ve always been. Which is dangerous.

I’m not what you would call or a snowflake or even a Keyboard Warrior who hides on the internet to defend my values, but the tweets speak for themselves. I highly doubt Hart will suffer any consequences for his homophobic tweets. Which, in some weird way, are we saying you can be fired for being racist and sexist but not homophobic? Obviously racism and sexism are deplorable, so kudos to those who have been punished for their antics. But, I’m a little led to believe homophobia can just get swept under the rug like it hasn’t mattered.

I’m not calling for Hart to be removed as the Oscar Host, because honestly who really watches awards shows nowadays anyway? But, I cannot help but feel if this was somehow turned in a different direction with racist or sexist tweets, the host would absolutely be losing their position. It’s clear Hart will likely make a flaccid apology on Twitter towards the LGBTQ community and perhaps make a joke about it while he hosts. But, should the LGBTQ community be a bit more abrasive in our need to stick together?

Writer's Note: This is the opinion of one Instinct Magazine Contributor and does not reflect the views of Instinct Magazine itself or the fellow contributors.

While Call Me By Your Name didn’t receive a heaping of awards at the 90th Annual Academy Awards last night, it did make history with one award it did receive.

Out screenwriter James Ivory won the award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his work adapting the script from the original 2007 novel by André Aciman.

During his acceptance speech, Ivory got on stage, while wearing a shirt with Timothée Chalamet’s face drawn on it, and thanked the two man cast members. He also praised the film itself for its portrayal of first love.

“Whether straight or gay or somewhere in between, we’ve all gone through first love, I hope, mostly intact,” he said.

Not only is this a fantastic win for Call Me By Your Name, but its also a great win for Ivory because he is now the oldest Oscar winner in history.

Ivory also noted this when accepting his award, “Having won the Oscar seems like a hiccup after 90 years. It feels great.”

The 89-year-old also noted the many people who got him to this point. Most significantly, his late business and life partner Ismail Merchant.

Together, the two ran the production company Merchant Ivory. That’s how Ivory built experience producing adaptions to LGBTQ novels.

“I wouldn’t be standing up here without the inspired help I received from my life’s partners, who are gone,” Ivory said.